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Catching Up: Where to Start?

Little did we know, when we posted our Fluoride Follies entry of June 21, 2013, that the blog would be down for an indeterminate period. The dead time was the result of a convergence of unforeseen events, but even during the hiatus, life went on. Three major events occurred in Texas during that time, and I’ll summarize them here. (Portland, Oregon’s spectacular 2014 victory over the promoters of forced fluoridation–including a 100% bought-out City Council and Mayor–was covered on our website).

The first big change came with the adoption of a new form of Austin municipal government which gave Austinites district representation for the first time. Previously, all of the 7-member (including the Mayor) City Council was chosen at large, through city-wide voting. That system not only made running for office cost prohibitive for all but the wealthiest but created a Council of members clustered in an upscale area, without specific connection or responsibility to the residents of other parts of town. In November 2013, following an intensive public education campaign by the grassroots group Austinites for Geographical Representation, Austinites went to the polls to vote in a new system: one comprising 10 geographic districts to represent our 860,000-plus population, plus a Mayor still elected at large. (It’s fit to add here that the outcome went very much against the desires of local Democratic Party power brokers.)

Following that triumph, exactly one year later, our first Austin City Council under the new system was elected this past November. More on the new Council in future posts.

Finally, up the road in Dallas, there was energetic year-long anti-fluoridation campaign led by Regina Imburgia with the staunch support of Dallas City Councilman Sheffie Kadane. Imburgia organized groups to speak regularly at City Hall; held public educational events with high-profile guest speakers including Dr. Paul Connett; and creatively publicized the cause via Facebook pages of Activists for Truth and Safe Water North Texas and the website dogsagainstfluoridation.com. Her team’s efforts won the hearts and minds of Dallasites, but not that of the Council, which, as mostly career politicians or wanabees–acted in their own self-perceived interests rather than those of the people who elected them. On January 28–in defiance of a recent poll showing 72% of the public opposed to fluoridation—they voted 13-2 to adopt a 3-year purchase contract for fluorosilicic acid with Mosaic Co. Apart from the remarks of Sheffie Kadane and self-appointed spokesman for the fluoride industry Rick Callahan, there was no discussion. Not a single other Council member (out of 15) had a word to say or a question to ask. Adam Medrano, timidly seconding Kadane’s motion to deny the Mosaic contract, was Kadane’s sole ally; Scott Griggs and Dwaine R. Caraway, earlier considered potential supporters, were last-minute bailouts. You can watch the entire proceedings–including the anti-fluoridation speakers’ presentations–in the video at the top of this page.

Given the energy, creativity and determination of the Dallas activists, we can be sure they won’t let the matter rest with a decision so against the public will. We look forward to hearing more from them in the future.

3 thoughts on “Catching Up: Where to Start?”

Thank you so much for posting this blog. I am a listener to the Alex Jones internet stream and heard about this site on the show today. It is so important that people come to realize the poisons that are not only in our water but in our foods as well. Please continue this blog and others for the fight is on and we are making a difference!

Thanks for this, I also heard you on Alex Jones. Brave New Books (http://www.BraveNewBooks.com) has a room that they let groups use for free. The bookstore is located below the Chase bank building across from UT on Guadalupe St. Ask Harlan, the owner, if you can use it for meetings. I’m sure he will say yes. There is also another alternative network that you might be able to exploit: Republic Broadcasting Network, based in Round Rock – John Stadtmiller owns it. Jack Blood at http://www.jackblood.com might also be helpful in getting out the word. http://WWW.Koop.org at 90.6 would also likely help. There are also some local activist organizations that might be interested in helping, such as: VoteRescue.org (Vickie Karp and Karen Renick); and IndependentTexans.org (Linda Curtis); Fix290.org (Mary Anderson); the Gray Panthers, and Texans Against Tolls. Many of the members of these groups belong to several groups and I think this issue would appeal to them. With the council and mayoral elections coming up, this would be a good time to influence the council. What it will take to win, I think, is getting at least some of the print media or mainstream TV or radio on board. Please let me know of any meetings or if I can be of any help.